CapeTown – Refuse collection days may be affected by Covid-19 mitigation measures after staff at various depots tested positive, the City said yesterday.
Residents have been asked to bear with possible delays and help ease the load by recycling and practising composting where possible.
The City said after staff had tested positive for Covid-19, Bellville, Woodstock, Mitchells Plain, Schaapkraal and Kuils River depots had to be temporarily closed while decontamination was carried out.
“While these depots have since reopened, the chance remains that these depots and others may need to close again at some stage in the event of staff testing positive.
“Residents are also asked to bear in mind that even
once depots have been decontaminated and reopened,
staff availability remains a challenge. Those who have been in close contact with a confirmed infection are required to self-quarantine for 14 days, even in the absence of symptoms, to minimise the risk that they could unknowingly spread the virus
“We acknowledge the inconvenience of disruption and constraints to normal services, but we need to prioritise the well-being of staff during this volatile period, while ensuring the service continues at the highest possible level,” the City said.
During a period when delays may occur, the City said refuse collection staff had been instructed to also collect any refuse bags sitting next to the bin. Residents have also been urged to refrain from illegal dumping.
They have also been encouraged to sanitise their bins before taking them
out and after collection has taken place.
The City advised that waste items that have been used by someone who has or is suspected of having Covid-19 should be disposed into a separate container.
This waste should be double-bagged and kept on the property for at least five days before placing it out for collection in the bin.